LESSONS LEARNED
Oroville veterinarian Craig Brown knowsmore about burns than he ever hoped hewould
“Animals andmy crew arewhat keep me motivated.”
— Craig Brown, Look Ahead Veterinary Clinic Veterinarian
OROVILLE » Since its opening in 1998, the Look Ahead Veterinary Clinic on Clark Road in Oroville has helped the Butte County communities with three major wildfires. The first fire the clinic endured was the Butte Lightning Complex Fire in 2008, followed by the Camp Fire in Paradise in 2018 and now this year’s North Complex Fire.
Look Ahead Veterinarian Craig Brown said that during the Butte Lightning Complex Fire his office served as mostly an evacuation point. However during both the Camp Fire and nowthe North Complex fire Brown has seenmore of the backside of the fire — the injuries, deaths, and human impact side.
Brown said he has learned more about burns than he ever did in school and ever hoped to, saying that they’re awful.
During both the Camp Fire and the North Complex Fire, Brown and his teamwere on the front lines at times, helping rescue abandoned or injured animals fromburned areas with the help of Animal Control.
They saw disturbing things like animals chained up to tiedowns and left behind and not evacuated with their humans.
“It is definitelywas tough on the heart,” Brown said. “Literally thousands of burned cats.”
But the hardest conversations come when the best thing for an animal is euthanasia, or conversations when the public drops off an animal and says, “I got this one out and it was surrounded by other ones that didn’t make it.”
Brown credits the county for growth in the organization over the years he has been treating burn victims. With other animal shelters able to step in for larger animals this year, Brown’s teamhas been able to focus on treating burned smaller animals like dogs and cats rather than sheltering larger animals and livestock such as horses, sheep, and cattle like in previous fires.
During the Butte Lightning Complex Fire in 2008 the clinic used its own finances formuchof thework needed. For the Camp Fire, they received some help, and have now received significant help from the public during this year’s North Complex Fire.
During the Camp Fire three members of the clinic’s staff lost their homes. Thanks to a $50,000 loan the head veterinarians received from their bank, all employees, despite losing their homes, were able to stay employed. This year COVID-19 added an additional complication, as the clinic’s staff has been short three members who were not comfortable working with the public.
Still, the staff came back each day to work, camping at the clinic when Clark Road was shut down. Some called it therapeutic as workers were eager to get back to work and do something to help people in a time of need. But still Brown said each fire is devastating.
When the veterinary clinic first takes in a burned cat its first step is to assess if it is stable or in shock, and oftentimes pain control takes over as the first step. Opioids are used on cats primarily, Brown said, stating that controlling pain is the most important thing.
Each burned animal needs sedation for each bandage changewhichadds to the expense as well. Bandages for each animal with burned feet happen each Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
If bandages need changing, the clinic will hold onto them until treatment is no longer needed.
“I think the time to take care of animals has been one of our biggest challenges,” Brown said. “We’re getting support, we’re getting financial supportwhich is a great bonus. People are realizing that we need isn’t a bag of dog food. It’s $10 to put a bandage on.”
However the ultimate goal is for all of the animals at the clinic to become stable, no longer need bandages and are able to go into a shelter and be back into circulation for people to find their lost pets.
However Brown, who has pets of his own and has not lost his home in any of the three fires, still has a little survivor’s remorse each fire season. Still, in his field of work, he must stay motivated.
“Animals and my crew are what keep me motivated,” Brown said. “Patients and my team are what keep me coming here every day.”
The Look Ahead Veterinary Clinic is located at 1451 Clark Rd. in Oroville and is accepting burned animals or other animals needing medical attention Monday through Wednesday from8a.muntil 6 p.m., Thursday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The clinic is not currently being used as an animal evacuation center.
For small animals, in Butte County, an evacuation center has been established at 521 Cal Oak Rd. in Oroville. Large animals are being asked to be taken to the Camelot Equestrian Center at 1985 Clark Rd. in Butte Valley. TheNorthValley Animal Disaster Group canbe reachedat (530)-8950000.
The Plumas County Animal Services can be contacted at (530)-283-3673.